There haven’t been many occurrences in the short history of the Colorado Rockies where they were considered to be playing below expectations. File May 2011 into the “playing below expectations folder.” Colorado finished the month 8-21, bringing their overall record 4 games below .500 and 4.5 games behind the surprising NL West leader in the Arizona Diamondbacks. With only 1/3 of the season played, there is plenty of time for Colorado to rebound.

Here are 3 reasons why Rockies fans should be optimistic heading into June.

1.The weather is warming up

This might not sound like a good reason, but hear me out. The 2011 baseball season has already had more rainouts than the entire 2010 season did. When the weather starts to warm up, the ball starts to fly. Though the Rockies have a great hitter’s ballpark with the thin air, rainy and unseasonably cold weather is not going to help the potent Rockies lineup score runs. Warmer weather could get Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki back on track. Speaking of the two sluggers…

2. Gonzalez and Tulowitzki are not going to continue to struggle

Carlos Gonzalez burst onto the scene last year with a .336 avg, 34 HRs and 117 RBI. It is difficult to project him hitting those numbers again this year, especially after a slow start. It is also difficult to see what Carlos Gonzalez really is. Is he someone that will consistently hit 30 HRs, 100 RBIs while posting a good average? That’s tough to tell because he has not proven it in multiple seasons.

[1]

Rockies fans hope Tulowitzki gets back on track in June

Troy Tulowitzki, on the other hand, has proven he can be a consistent offensive force. He is widely regarded as one of the best SS in the entire league. After getting off to a hot start, Tulo has struggled at the plate. He is currently hitting .250 with 11 HRs and 33 RBIs. As a career .287 hitter, he is bound to produce at a higher rate. Once these two stars get going again, the middle of the order will be dangerous and the Rockies should look to take off in the vulnerable NL West.

3. Late season magic

The Rockies have made a name for themselves the past few years for making late-season surges. The good news is that Rockies fans don’t have to worry about having one of those magical runs again just yet. The season is only entering June. With 11 of their first 14 opponents being currently under .500, there is a great opportunity for Colorado to regain its footing. The only team they play that is currently over .500 is San Francisco, a team that struggles to score runs and recently lost their catcher for the season.

Though the Rockies struggled mightily in May, there is room for optimism in the hearts of Rockies fans. Even with some holes in their lineup and pitching staff, this team is fully capable of taking control ib one of the weaker divisions in baseball.

Besides, they can’t possibly play as poorly in June as they did in May, can they?